Week 6 EOC: Steps in Job Instruction Training

“On-the-job training can be a very effective method of learning; unfortunately, it is often conducted incorrectly.” (Managing Hospitality Human Resources, p. 202) In the movie 9 to 5, Judy, the new hire, has one of these bad on-the-job training experiences. She wasn’t instructed on how to actually do her job, but more or less the gossip of the office and who to watch out for. This doesn’t help her to be successful or put her at ease. It also could make her take even less interest in her training than if she were actually learning what she needed in order to complete her tasks. When she is finally put to work at her own desk, she appears confused and doesn’t know how anything works. Step 2 of the Job Instruction Training is completely skipped. “Typically, one employee is simply asked to teach another some desired skill. In far too many cases, trainers are assigned not because they can teach, but because they can perform tasks or behaviors well.” (Managing Hospitality Human Resources, p. 202) A combination of on-the-job training and job instruction training is probably the best way to insure that an employee understands his or her duties and how to complete them successfully. Another problem with Judy’s training is that she was not observed when she was put on the job alone. With no one there to watch her, she couldn’t be told what her mistakes were in operating the new equipment or corrected in these mistakes. “One of the most important steps in training is program evaluation. Unfortunately, this is the step that receives the least attention and, all too often, is ignored altogether.”(Managing Hospitality Human Resources, p. 203) The only follow up done for her training happened when her boss walked in on her as a copy machine was malfunctioning. He didn’t try to find out why the problem was happening or instruct her how to work the machine properly. He only yelled at her, making her feel even more uncomfortable with her new job.